A/N: Here's the next chapter!

We're getting off on a slow start in terms of the plot, so please bear with me. Everything that is going on in the first few chapters is completely necessary. Anyways, I hope you all enjoy this update!

Thanks to those who have reviewed the last few chapters! It really raised my motivation to write this! Remember to leave another review on this chapter. Keep in mind that it could be on anything – from grammar, spelling, questions on the plot (but no spoilers!), or just stupid mistakes. Or it could just be based on how much you like it or hate it so far.

Book I: It's Been Four Years

Chapter 2: Admissions

"Mr. Higgy?" said Geo as he knocked on the office door.

After the sound of shuffling papers, a voice called out, "yes?"

"Um, I was sent here by Mr. Shepar to confirm my application. My name is Geo Stelar," said Geo.

"Yes, yes. Come on in! The door's open!" replied Mr. Higgy.

"Thank you, sir," said Geo as he opened the door. Inside, he found paper scattered everywhere across the office.

"Sorry about the mess," said Mr. Higgy, laughing sheepishly. "I had a lot of admissions to check, so my office is kind of in disorder. Anyways, take a seat!" Mr. Higgy motioned to an empty chair in front of his desk.

Geo nodded as he sat down on the softly cushioned chair.

"Let's see, Joe, was it?"

"I-It's Geo, sir. Geo Stelar."

"Right, sorry!" laughed Mr. Higgy sheepishly as he took out a large file and began looking through it. "This is a really big file on a lot students, so it may take a while."

Geo nodded. He was looking around the office when Mr. Higgy finally found his file.

"Right, here we are!" said Mr. Higgy. "Geo Stelar! Son of Hope and Ke-" He stopped when he read the name.

"I-Is something wrong, sir?" asked Geo.

"Ah, it's nothing," said Mr. Higgy, grinding his teeth. "Your father, he wouldn't be…?"

Geo winced. The subject about his father was exactly the last thing he wanted to talk about. "Y-Yes," said Geo, looking down at his feet.

"I see," murmured Mr. Higgy. "Er, if you need someone to talk to, you could talk to the counselors here; they are very nice people. Or you could drop by here –"

"No…it's okay. Honestly, I don't really want to talk about it with anyone…" sighed Geo.

Mr. Higgy nodded understandingly. "All right," he said, "let's get this application over with. Usually, I would have to have your mother with us as well, but I believe I've already talked to her and made my case clear to her."

Geo nodded. He could remember a few weeks ago, when Hope had told him that the admissions director had called her.

"I suppose I could call her again after today to clarify everything," said Mr. Higgy. "Just to clarify that you will be coming to school on a daily basis."

"Huh?" said Geo, his eyes widening. "Uh, well, I thought my mom had made agreement with you."

"And what agreement would that be?"

"That I would come to school whenever I felt like it; just to take things slow," said Geo. "I was taking some homeschooling for the past few years."

Mr. Higgy stared at Geo for a moment, making Geo feel a bit uneasy about what he had just said. Then, Mr. Higgy sighed. "Yes, I think I remember making that deal with her," he said. "However, that was when you were in 5th grade. Things are a bit different now.

"Unfortunately, the Board of Education has greatly emphasized the importance of every young child's education especially during this age, and therefore changing the very curriculum we've been using for the past 50 years! The Board of Education has strongly advised those who are being homeschooled to go to an actual school, seeing that we are now in a new age of education. New technology is being used in every school today, and to get that kind of tech in your home would be… costly."

Geo stared at Mr. Higgy in utter disbelief. For the past four years, he had stayed at home, being taught by either himself or a private tutor. How could he handle the sudden transition to school? It wasn't the schoolwork that scared him. It was the people. The students. He had lived the last few years in isolation, away from any person (besides his mother, of course).

"Geo?"

"I'm thinking, sir."

"You know that you don't really have a choice here."

"I know."

Geo sulked his way out of Mr. Higgy's office. The second Geo stepped out in the hallway, the school bell rung loudly, causing him to jump. He looked at his Transer. At the top right of the home screen, the clock read: 12:00.

"It's lunch time, huh," Geo said to himself. The Elementary Campus of the Echo Ridge School didn't have a cafeteria, so the students ate in the cafeteria.

When Geo walked inside his classroom, all the students had their desks facing each other like tables. Some did this because they wanted to be closer to their friends, while others just wanted to sneak a bite out of other people's food.

Sighing, Geo sat a table; the one that no one sits at. He took out his backpack and scavenged around for his small lunch bag. Luckily, he found himself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. He silently thanked his mother and began to eat.

While the other students were talking and eating, Geo noticed that Luna was staring at him for a while.

Finally, Luna, who was sitting with Bud and Zack, said, "Geo Stelar, would you like to eat with us?"

"Uh, I don't know," said Geo.

"C'mon, Geo! It's not like we're gonna hurt you or something!" said Zack. "Though I can't speak for Bud…"

"What did you say, Zack?" growled Bud, giving Zack a glare.

Geo shrugged. "Sure, whatever I guess," he said, grabbing his food and sitting next to Luna's. "Thanks, I suppose."

"Don't make anything of it. It's just lunch," said Luna, smiling.

For some reason, an awkward silence fell on the four the second Geo sat down with them.

"So it looks like we have a couple of classes together this semester," Luna said. "We all have math with Mr. Shepar and socials with Mrs. Li!"

Geo nodded slowly. "Uh, huh..."

"So Geo," said Bud, trying to break the obvious tension, "how did the whole admission thing go?"

Geo bit his lip. "Well, Mr. Higgy is really nice and all…"

"I kinda meant what was happening with you? I mean, are you sticking with school and all?" asked Bud.

Geo looked down. "Yeah…yeah, I suppose so."

"So you're coming here everyday? From Monday to Friday?" asked Zack.

"Yes, I guess I am," said Geo, somewhat sullenly.

"That's fantastic!" said Luna.

"Really? Why?" asked Geo.

"Uh, well," Luna stammered, then looked furious. "What do you mean 'why'? Why… because of our grade 9 attendance record! Why else would it be 'fantastic'?"

Geo jumped.

Zack groaned. "Oh, boy. Another one of Prez's outbursts…"

"Finally, every single student is going to school on a daily basis! Do you not even care? Care about our grade?" cried Luna, startling everyone in the classroom. She stared at everyone. "WHAT ARE YOU ALL LOOKING AT?" Gritting her teeth, Luna turned her attention back to her pasta.

I think I've lost them. Stupid FM-ians.

Somewhere in the middle of space, a small green orb of light flashed out of nowhere. It began to float slowly across the empty and seemingly lifeless dark void. It passed various planets – from the Venus to the monster size of a planet Jupiter. After it passed Mars, it came to a sudden halt.

Earth.

"Alright everyone, could you all take your seats?" Mr. Shepar said to everyone.

After lunch, the students reorganized their desks into the same rows as they were before. They all took their seats.

"Now, as you know, today is Thursday. Every Thursday on fourth period, we have our usual Math Class."

The whole class groaned.

Mr. Shepar grinned. "However, today we have a - "

A knock on the door cut Mr. Shepar's sentence off.

"We, er, I'm sorry. Excuse me," said as he proceeded to the door. When he opened the door, the door blocked the view to everyone, so they didn't know whom he was talking to.

"Oh! You're here! Did you finish your…?" Mr. Shepar trailed off.

"Yes, I did. Like I said, I so sorry that I'm so late," replied the person outside. From what the students could hear, it was a young girl around their age.

Mr. Shepar smiled. "Oh, it's no worry!" he said. "It is your job, after all!"

Geo raised an eyebrow. Like everyone else, he wondered whom exactly Mr. Shepar was talking to.

"Anyways," said Mr. Shepar, "come on it! We're just about to start class."

"Sweet!" replied the voice as the mystery girl came in.